Acquaintance
$50–$75 · usually $60
A neighbor, a friend of a friend, someone you see a few times a year.
The right wedding gift, with the math shown.
Find a thoughtful amount. See how it adds up.
What shapes the number?
Answer a few quick questions and get a number you can stand behind, built from your relationship, your state, your budget and what the couple once gave you.
Cousin's wedding in Queens
Coworker's courthouse wedding
College roommate in Napa
Your sister's big day
Neighbor's backyard reception
Best friend in Tulum
Your boss's son
Second cousin, once removed
The calculator
Your number
Tap what applies. The number and every step behind it update as you go.
How it works
Every number shows its work.
See each adjustment below.
Read more
Follow each adjustment in the chain. Expand the details for how the estimate works.
- 01
Start with how close you are
Details
Start at about $60 for an acquaintance or $500 for immediate family, with a range for each relationship.
- 02
Adjust for real life
Details
Guests, budget and the state you're in move it up or down. Travel and hotel costs bring it down by up to 30%.
- 03
Honor what they gave you
Details
Their gift is adjusted using an assumed 3% a year, then rounded as a guide. That rate is an estimate, not measured inflation.
By relationship
Where most people land
Pick a relationship to start.
Read more
Typical ranges for one guest at an average-cost wedding. Pick one to start the calculator there.
Coworker
$50–$100 · usually $75
Someone you work with but rarely see outside the office.
Friend
$75–$150 · usually $100
A friend you see regularly and would call for a favor.
Close friend
$100–$250 · usually $150
Your inner circle. You're in the wedding party, or nearly.
Extended family
$100–$300 · usually $175
Cousins, aunts, uncles and in-laws.
Immediate family
$300–$1,500 · usually $500
Siblings, children and parents. Gifts here vary the most.
By state
Where gifts run higher
Expected gifts, not actual spending.
Read more
What couples in each surveyed state expect a guest to give. The line marks the national average of $122.50.
State
Expected
Compared with the national average
Use in calculator
New YorkHighest
$204.60
Connecticut
$202.40
Nebraska
$195.00
New Jersey
$172.30
Oregon
$117.80
Expectations vary. These figures are a guide.
Read more
These are what couples hope for, not what guests always give. In a separate 2025 guest survey, New York guests reported giving about $177. States the survey didn't cover use the higher-cost, average or lower-cost options.
Questions
Good to know
Do I have to match what they gave me?
Matching is the classic courtesy, so the calculator uses their rounded gift value as a guide. But circumstances change. If money is tighter for you now than it was for them then, a smaller gift with a warm note is still gracious.
Why do travel costs lower the number?
Flights and hotels for a far-away wedding can cost more than the gift itself. Most couples know this, and many say your being there is enough. The calculator takes off up to 30% as those costs rise.
Cash or something from the registry?
Either is fine. The number is a value, not a format. Cash, a registry gift or a honeymoon-fund contribution can all add up to the same amount.
What if I can't go?
Sending a gift is still kind, and it's usually a bit smaller, about two-thirds of what you'd give if you went. A heartfelt card on its own is fine too.
Where do the numbers come from?
The starting ranges for each relationship follow common US etiquette guidance. State figures come from a 2025 survey of what couples expect (national average $122.50). Past gifts use an assumed 3% annual increase and are rounded. They're starting points, not rules.
Give gladly.
Include a note they will want to keep.
Read more
Whatever number you land on, the card matters as much as the check. Write something they'll want to keep.